HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Since Nov. 1 at least 13 cars have been broken into at Bridge Street Town Centre, compared to only one at Madison Square Mall and two at Parkway Place Mall.

Bridge Street employee Andrew Hall said he thinks it's a lack of cameras and security that accounts for the difference in break-ins. But all three malls have security, and none of them has cameras, according to Huntsville police Sgt. Mark Roberts.

"From talk among employees, it's mostly happening in the lower section of the garage," Hall said. "That's where employees are asked to park."

Rachel Forman is vice president of corporate marketing for O&S Properties, the property owner of Bridge Street. She said the company is aware of the increase in car break-ins and O&S is making necessary changes to lower the number.

Roberts said that while the police department can track the number of break-ins, it can't track the location at the mall.

Not all Bridge Street car break-ins are in the garage, though, Hall said. On Jan. 6, his Nissan 240SX was broken into in the parking lot closest to Red Robin, near the Monaco Pictures theater, he said. The thief stole his Sony CD player, but the $800 cost to repair his window was the larger expense, he said.

Hall said he knew of at least three other employees of Bridge Street stores who had their cars burglarized within the last few weeks.

"I want to see better patrols and some sort of camera system installed," he said.Forman said they've added security patrols and Huntsville police have increased patrols throughout the center as well.

Hall said he loves working at Bridge Street but now he worries about his car and his belongings while he's working.

"It's something we are all really conscious of now," he said.

Roberts said Huntsville police encourage all shopping centers to install security cameras in the parking areas.

"Not only does it increase the possibility of catching a description of a person or a vehicle, it also deters theft and other crimes," he said.

Hall said he understands cars will be burglarized, but he's heard rumors about Bridge Street adding theatrical lighting to the exterior of the building intended to showcase the center. He said he'd rather see that money spent on security cameras.

Forman said the center is looking into theatrical lighting, but didn't know if security cameras were in the works.

"The theatrical lighting will help the whole exterior of our center, which will affect parking directly," she said. "Our center is extremely safe. We've not had any major incidents."

Several higher-end venues, such as the Apple store and The Westin hotel, hire independent security, often off-duty Huntsville police officers, to monitor their premises.

"So why can't Bridge Street do that?" Hall said.

They're planning to, according to Forman.

"We've hired off-duty officers to patrol," she said. "Our needs are different than other shopping centers."

With The Westin and Monaco Pictures, people are coming and going 24 hours a day, she said.